Experts tout prevalence in today's homebuying decisions

Walkability has evolved from a buzzword to an influential part of home purchasing decisions in Calgary, say real estate experts.

And to meet growing demand for improved accessibility, developers and planners need to start now by designing communities of tomorrow through a more pedestrian-friendly lens.

"(Walkability) is important to our customers," said Brookfield Residential development manager Tara Steell. "We're hearing from them and using best practices to create communities with master-planned communities. We have the ability to influence that and try to get people out of their cars."

When it comes to homeowner preference these days, one thing is clear: bigger is definitely better.

The size of the average Canadian home today is about twice as large as it was back in the 1960s. Our living spaces have been expanding rapidly, and not because of necessity.

If you're wondering whether it's the right time to say goodbye to your family home and downsize to a home more suitable for your lifestyle and needs, consider these scenarios:

They say that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, and the same could apply to historic buildings. In the wake of the Enoch Sales House fire and demolition, heritage groups and individual Calgarians have called for more to be done to preserve the city's historic structures.

It seems that every few months, a new story emerges from hot real estate markets like Toronto about a condo project being cancelled, leaving those who bought presale units scrambling to recovery their money and find another place to call home.

But what's the situation in Calgary, and what recourse do buyers here have if a project they've purchased in is cancelled?

For Airdrie REALTORS® Matt and Michelle Carre, giving back is second nature.

The couple and their two children ditched Calgary's big-city life for the quiet, laid-back and connected vibe of Airdrie 13 years ago.

A few years later, in 2013, they started the Airdrie Angel Program, a grassroots initiative that assists struggling families and individuals in the community by offering needs-based, streamlined gift baskets filled with cash and gift cards totalling between $1,500 and $2,000.

If your garden party is usually over after the irises, peonies, plums and lilacs fade, add late-blooming flowers to really stretch your summer this season. Making way for late bloomers means the joy of summer continues past your escape to the lake and well into back-to-school season.

One of Airdrie's greatest strengths is its connectedness and small-town feel, and that strength is on display in the growing community of Bayview.

Trico Homes recently introduced five new home designs that are garnering interest from a broad spectrum of buyers. The Gems Series, an enclave collection of 80 homes in the established northeast community of Redstone, features innovative architecture and interiors that stand out from the pack.